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Olympic champions felled as Kenya picks team to Berlin – Kenya Trials and Team List

Two Olympic gold medallists and one World champion lost their races while another Olympic title holder failed to make Kenya’s team to the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Berlin, Germany (15 – 23 August) at the country’s bruising national trials on Saturday (25).

Women’s Olympic 800m and 1500m champions from Beijing, respectively Pamela Jelimo and Nancy Jebet Lagat, settled for second best after brilliant performances by World champion Janeth Jepkosgei and former World Junior champion Irene Jelagat respectively. There was a major selection upset for Olympic champion Wilfred Bungei in the men’s 800m, while Asbel Kiprop showed his dominance in the men’s 1500m.

Rudisha puts injury behind

In the men’s 800m race, World champion Alfred Kirwa Yego was beaten clearly by Africa champion David Rudisha, with Olympic champion Wilfred Bungei out injured but hoping to earn a wild card selection to the Kenyan team to Beijing.

However, the Kenyan selectors had other ideas, dropping Bungei and drafting Jackson Kivuva, third behind Rudisha and Yego, into the Berlin-bound squad.

“I was feeling good, there was a lot of pushing and so I had to run from the outside lane but I’m happy to make the team,” said Rudisha (1:47.00), who missed out on the Beijing Olympics through injury.

“Last year I battled with injury but it (injury) is completely gone now and I’m ready for the World Championships.”

Kirwa (1:47.48), who set the early pace and stayed ahead at the bell, was graceful in defeat, happy to make it to the team for a defence of his title and even happier that he has finally come to grips with his new front-running technique.

“I’ve been training on front-running and I’ve come to prefer this to fighting from the back,” the winner from Osaka said. “I’m happy that Rudisha is in good shape and I’m sure we will bring the medals home.”

Kivuva was third in 1:47.96 and joins the two in-form runners in the team to Berlin.

Kiprop - under no pressure

There were no upsets in the fiery men’s 1500m with Olympic silver medallist Asbel Kiprop, cruising past African champ Haron Keitany with 60 metres to go to cement his place in the team.

“I was confident and under no pressure but still I had to summon all my experience to come through,” said Kiprop, silver medallist in Beijing.

Jepkosgei holds off Jelimo

But the race the 12,000-strong crowd that included Kenya’s vice-president Kalonzo Musyoka was waiting to see was the women’s 800m which blasted off at 15:20 local time under perfect, clear weather conditions in the Kenyan capital.

It was the first time that Jepkosgei and Jelimo were coming up against each other on home soil since Jelimo struck the Olympic gold in Beijing, beating Jepkosgei to the gold, and later following up with the AF Golden League $1 Million Jackpot.

And the pair did not disappoint, running the two lap show from the gun to the tape. Jelimo paid dearly for making her move too early when she pulled away in the final 300m only for Jepkosgei to dig in with a couple of metres to the tape to claim a morale-boosting victory in 1:59.31, her first sub-two minute time this season.

Jelimo also dipped inside the two-minute mark, clocking 1:59.49, her season’s best and second sub-two minute race of the season.

World Youth champion Cherono Koech (2:01.92), and world Junior winner Winnie Chebet (2:05.12) followed the experienced pair with the Kenyan selectors electing to enter only two runners for Berlin in this race.

“I’m coming back. Jelimo had a good race and I beat her at the line. I’m happy to beat her…it’s the crowd that kept me going to the finish,” said Jepkosgei who raised her index finger to her lips as if to silence her critics after crossing the finish line. She then hugged Jelimo in a show of sportsmanship.

Jelimo was graceful in defeat: “I’m improving. I know I will be OK by Berlin. I had injury problems early in the season and I know I still have to work on my final 50 metres before Berlin.”

“I kicked at 300 metres to go but ran out of power in the final 50 metres and this is what I’ve got to work on. My vision is to be on the podium in Berlin.”

In the women’s 1500m, Irene Jelagat with a run of 4:12.05 was more of a match for Olympic champion Nancy Jebet Langat (4:13.00) with Margaret Wangare taking third 4:14.44. The first two make the trip to Berlin.

Kipruto leads expected results in Steeplechase

There were no upsets of the form book in the men’s 3000m Steeplechase with Olympic and World champion Brimin Kipruto (8:20.03) leading Beijing bronze medallist Richard Mateelong (8:20.60) and Athens Olympic champion Ezekiel Kemboi (8:24.15) across the finish line.

With the Kenyan selectors settling for four runners to move into the pre-Beijing camp in Nairobi from Monday (27), former Olympic bronze medallist Paul Kipsiele Koech, who was out of the reckoning with a sixth place finish (8:36.75) was lucky to be drafted.

“I was not worried at all. I ran my race and I’m confident of another good outing in Berlin,” said Kipruto.

Cheruiyot also as expected

As expected, Vivian Cheruiyot won the women’s 5000m (15.25.21) but was pushed all the way by Sylvia Kibet (15:25.42) and the pair will be joined by Innes Chenonge (15.27:29) in Berlin in the battle against the Ethiopian pair of Meseret Defar and Tirunesh Dibaba.

“Meseret is my friend and I know how the Ethiopians run. I will not let them go this time and I know as a team, we can dismantle them,” said Cheruiyot, a silver medallist in Osaka two years ago.

Newcomer Gladys Kemboi won the women’s 3000m Steeplechase, continuing a tradition of a long list of runners from Marakwet in the Kenyan Rift Valley of dominating the race.

The men’s 5000m, though, offered a huge surprise as Vincent Chepkok (13:19.8) beat the experienced Eliud Kipchoge, 2003 World champion and 2008 Olympic silver medallist in third place with Joseph Ebuya second. The three will travel to Berlin.

The Kenyan team now moves into camp at Kasarani on the outskirts of the capital Nairobi until 10 August when they take their flight to Berlin.